Hoseside Dental Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection on 25 January 2017 to ask the practice the following key questions; are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Our findings were:

Are services safe?

We found that this practice was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services effective?

We found that this practice was providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services caring?

We found that this practice was providing caring services in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services responsive?

We found that this practice was providing responsive care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Are services well-led?

We found that this practice was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Background

Hoseside Dental Practice is located in a residential area of Wallasey. The practice’s reception, a waiting room, disabled accessible toilet and two treatment rooms are situated on the ground floor, with a further waiting room and treatment rooms on the first floor. It is accessible to patients with disabilities, including patients with mobility needs and wheelchair users. There is a disabled toilet available and parking is available on nearby streets.

The practice provides general dental treatment to patients predominantly on an NHS basis but also patients on a private basis. The opening times are:

Monday and Wednesday 9am -1pm and 2pm – 6pm,

Tuesday and Thursday 8.30am – 1pm and 2pm – 5.30pm

Friday 9am – 1pm and 2pm – 4.30pm.

Early morning and late evenings can be arranged.

The practice is staffed by four dentists, a foundation dentist (Dental foundation training (DFT) is a post-qualification training period, mainly in general dental practice, which UK graduates need to undertake in order to work in NHS practice), a dental therapist, a dental hygienist and eight dental nurses, two of whom are trainees. There are receptionists and a practice manager also.

The principal dentist is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the practice is run.

We received feedback from 44 patients during the inspection about the services provided. Patients were positive about all aspects of the care and treatment. Patients commented that they found the practice excellent and that staff were professional, friendly and caring. They said that their needs were always responded to, full explanations were always given and the staff were excellent. Patients commented that the practice was clean and hygienic. Treatments were described by patients as excellent and appointments were always easy to obtain, including emergency appointments.

Our key findings were:

• The practice had procedures in place to record and analyse significant events and incidents and learning from them was shared with staff.
• Staff were aware of the safeguarding policies and guidance and knew the processes to follow to raise concerns.
• There were sufficient numbers of suitably qualified and skilled staff to meet the needs of patients.
• The premises were clean, secure and well maintained.
• Staff followed current infection control guidelines for decontaminating and sterilising instruments.
• Patients’ needs were assessed, and care and treatment were delivered, in accordance with current legislation, standards, and guidance.
• Patients received information about their care, proposed treatment, costs, benefits, and risks and were involved in making decisions about it.
• Staff were supported to deliver effective care. They were suitably trained and supported to maintain their continuing professional development. There were opportunities for training and learning.
• Patients were treated with kindness, dignity, and respect, and their confidentiality was maintained.
• The appointment system met the needs of patients, and emergency appointments were available.
• Services were planned and delivered to meet the needs of patients, and reasonable adjustments were made to enable patients to receive their care and treatment.
• The practice gathered the views of patients and took their views into account.
• Staff were supervised, felt involved, and worked as a team.
• Governance arrangements were in place for the smooth running of the practice, and for the delivery of high quality person centred care.
• Staff had been trained to deal with medical emergencies, and emergency medicines and equipment were available and checked for working order and expiry dates.

There were areas where the provider could make improvements and should:

• Review the protocol for completing accurate, complete and detailed records relating to employment of staff. This includes making appropriate notes of verbal reference taken and ensuring recruitment checks, including references, are suitably obtained and recorded.